How to Replace the Axle Assembly on a 2010 Corolla

The 2010 Toyota Corolla base model came with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Your front wheel drive corolla uses constant velocity or CV axle shafts to transmission power from the transmission differential to the front wheels. The CV joints on the axle shafts are subject to wear and over time will begin to fail; the most common sign being a clicking noise while cornering. The CV shaft is serviced as an entire assembly you have to replace the entire shaft anytime either joint begins to fail.

Instructions

Draining the Transmission

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel to be serviced with a lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with a floor jack and place jack stands under the front sub-frame rails. Lower the vehicle until it rests securely on the jack stands.

2

Remove the wheel lug nuts, then remove the wheel from the vehicle. Remove the fasteners securing both engine splash shields to the undercarriage with a socket and ratchet; use a flat-head screwdriver to pry up the center pins, for the push pin style retainers. Remove the both splash shield's from under the vehicle. Skip to step four if you have an automatic transmission.

3

Place a drain pan under your manual transmission. Locate the fill plug on the side of the transmission beside the passenger side axle toward the rear of the vehicle. Remove the transmission fill plug with a socket and ratchet. Locate the Transmission drain plug just below the passenger side axle and remove it with a socket and ratchet. Allow all the transmission fluid to drain. Clean the threads of the drain plug with a wire brush and remove the old gasket. Install a new gasket to the drain plug and install it to the transmission. Tighten the drain plug to 29 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

4

Place a drain pan under your automatic transmission. Locate the drain bolt in the bottom of the transmission pan and rotate it counterclockwise until loose. Remove the drain plug by hand and allow the fluid to drain. Clean the threads of the drain plug with a wire brush and replace the drain plug gasket. Install the drain plug and tighten it to 36 foot-pounds.

Axle Removal

5

Examine the end of the axle and locate the staked portion of the axle nut. Insert the pointed chisel into the staked portion of the axle shaft and tap the chisel with a hammer until the nut is unlocked from the shaft. Instruct a helper to enter the vehicle and apply the brakes. Loosen the axle shaft nut with a 30 mm socket and breaker bar. Instruct the helper to exit the vehicle.

6

Remove the bolt securing the wheel speed sensor to the steering knuckle with a socket and ratchet. Remove the bolt securing the wheel speed sensor harness to the strut assembly. Lift the wheel speed sensor out of its bore in the steering knuckle and position it aside where the harness cannot become pinched or damaged.

7

Remove the nut securing the stabilizer bar link to the strut assembly with a socket and ratchet. Straighten the legs of the tie-rod end cotter pin and remove it with pliers. Remove the tie-rod end castle nut with a socket and ratchet. Place a tie-rod separator between the tie-rod end joint and the steering knuckle. Tighten the tie-rod end separator bolt with a socket and ratchet until the tie-rod separates from the steering knuckle.

8

Remove the bolt and two nuts that secure the lower ball joint to the lower control arm with a socket and ratchet. Pull outward on the steering knuckle assembly while tapping on the axle shaft with a brass punch and hammer. Remove the axle shaft from the wheel hub and allow it to rest on the steering knuckle.

9

Position your self under the vehicle and place a pry bar between the inner CV joint and the transmission case. Pry outward on the CV joint tripod until the axle circlip is disengaged from the differential side gears. Support the axle shaft by hand and pull it out of the transmission. Remove the axle shaft from under the vehicle.

10

Inspect the axle seals on the transmission for any wear or damage and replace as necessary.

Installation

11

Inspect the new axle shaft and verify it is the same length and spline count as the original shaft. Place one side of of new circlip and work pressure around the circlip until it is fully seated in the axle groove., if not pre-installed from the factory.

12

Lay several shop rags on the lower control arm to create a safe place to rest the new axle shaft. Push the wheel hub end of the axle shaft through the opening in the fender well and rest the outer CV joint tripod on the shop rags. Line up the splines of the axle with the splines of the differential side gears, make sure the gap in the circlip faces downward and slide the axle into the transmission.

13

Locate the machined valleys in the inner CV joint tripod and position a flat-head screwdriver against the inner machined wall. Strike the screwdriver handle with a hammer to force the axle shaft into position. Pull outward on the inner joint, if the circlip is properly seated the axle will not pull out by hand.

14

Pull out on the steering knuckle assembly and guide the axle shaft splines into the wheel hub. Install a new axle shaft nut hand tight. Pry down on the lower control arm and seat the lower ball joint mounting place on the lower control arm. Install the lower ball joint bolt and nuts and tighten to 66 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

15

Set the tie-rod end stud into the steering knuckle. Install the tie-rod end castle nut and tighten to 36 foot-pounds. Install a new cotter pin through the castle nut and tie-rod end nut and bend the legs around the nut in opposite directions.

16

Place the stabilizer bar link stud through the hole in the strut assembly and install the mounting nut. Tighten the mounting nut to 55 foot-pounds. Place the wheel speed sensor into its bore in the steering knuckle. Tighten the wheel speed sensor bolt to 76 inch-pounds. Position the mounting bracket and tighten its mounting bolt to 76 inch-pounds.

17

Instruct a helper to enter the vehicle and apply the brakes. Tighten the new axle nut to 160 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Instruct the helper to exit the vehicle.

Filling the Transmission

18

Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod. Skip to step two if you have an automatic transmission. Insert the transmission funnel into the transmission fill hole. At fresh GL-4 rated 75W gear oil to the transmission in half quart increments. Cease filling when the transmission fluid is between 5 mm below the fill hole or higher. Clean the fill plug threads with a wire brush and replace the gasket. Install the fill plug and tighten to 29 foot-pounds.

19

Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod. Pull the transmission fluid dipstick out of the dipstick tube. Install the transmission funnel into the dip stick tube and add two quarts of fresh Toyota ATF-WS transmission fluid. Check the transmission fluid level and continue to add fluid in half quart increments until the transmission fluid is within the operating range. Start the engine and allow it to run for at least 15 minutes. Cycle through all the transmission gears from park to low range and back, pausing for 5 seconds in each gear. Check the transmission fluid and add additional fluid to bring the level to the full hot mark as necessary.

20

Remove the transmission drain pan and store the used fluid in a safe place until it can be disposed of properly. Place the wheel onto the wheel studs and install the lug nuts hand tight. Lift the front of the vehicle off the jack stands and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

21

Drive the vehicle to a local repair shop to have the front end alignment checked and adjusted as necessary.